Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Cincinnati match.
Dayana Yastremska
Yastremska is into the third round here for the first time in her career, but her performance against Viktoriya Tomova raised questions. She served seven double faults and landed just 52% of her first serves. The Ukrainian has struggled against elite opposition, losing eight of her last 12 matches against top-20 players. Her hard-court record is also underwhelming, with just 56% wins on the surface (112-88).
Coco Gauff
Gauff thrives in Cincinnati, winning six of her last seven matches here and lifting the title in 2023. Since her Roland Garros triumph, she has taken time to regain peak form, but her opener against Xinyu Wang showed promising signs — five aces and 74% of points won on first serve. Hard courts have been a stronghold for her, with a career win rate of over 70% (145-60).
Dayana Yastremska vs Coco Gauff Prediction
The head-to-head also favours Gauff — three wins from four meetings, with the only loss coming on grass. On hard courts, the American’s aggressive return game and solid serving should allow her to control the match and secure a comfortable win.
